Okay, so, I’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard lately, trying to get those gains, you know? But man, my wrists have been killing me. It all started a few weeks ago when I decided to up my weight on the bench press. I was feeling good, pushing myself, but then I started to notice this nagging pain in my wrists.
At first, I just ignored it, figuring it was just normal soreness from lifting. I kept pushing through my workouts, but the pain just got worse. It got to the point where even simple things like opening a jar or typing on my computer were becoming a struggle. I realized I had to do something, so I started looking into it. I realized it’s pretty common for people who lift weights.
Apparently, there are a few things that can cause this, like using improper form, not warming up properly, or just straight-up overdoing it. I’m pretty sure I was guilty of all three. I mean, I watched a few videos on proper lifting techniques, but I guess I wasn’t paying close enough attention. And warm-ups? Yeah, I’d usually just do a few arm circles and call it good.
So, I decided to take a step back and really focus on fixing this issue. Here’s what I did:
- Took a break from lifting: This was tough, but I knew I needed to give my wrists a rest. I took a full week off from any upper body workouts.
- Focused on proper form: When I started lifting again, I made sure to really pay attention to my form, especially on exercises like bench presses and push-ups. I watched a ton of videos and even asked a trainer at the gym for some tips.
- Started warming up properly: I started doing dynamic stretches before each workout, focusing on my wrists and forearms. Things like wrist rotations, flexions, and extensions.
- Iced my wrists: After workouts, I started icing my wrists for about 15-20 minutes to help with inflammation.
- Considered a wrist splint: I did not use it eventually. But I thought it might be helpful to wear a wrist splint, especially during workouts, to provide extra support.
It took a few weeks, but I’m happy to say that my wrist pain has significantly decreased. I’m still not 100%, but I’m able to lift again without that constant ache. Now I take it slow and I’m much more mindful of my body. My biggest takeaway is that, listen to your body! If something hurts, don’t ignore it. Take a break, figure out what’s wrong, and make the necessary adjustments. Don’t repeat what I have done!
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